FIFA Task Force Seeks Changes on Substitution, Player-Sanction Rules

Soccer rulemakers will consider a
proposal that would allow a fourth substitution in extra time in
games, among measures put forward by a group trying to improve
the sport.

Other suggestions made by the FIFA Task Force Football 2014
include looking at aspects of the offside law, and making a
“triple” punishment -- penalty kick, red card and suspension -
- possible only in cases of serious foul play and when denying a
scoring opportunity.

The group proposed that simple fouls and holding an
opponent in the penalty area should instead be punished by a
penalty and a yellow card, ruling body FIFA said in a statement.
The proposal will be put to the International Football
Association Board, which regulates the game.

The task force is one of the core planks of Sepp Blatter’s
bid to secure a fourth term as FIFA president. He set up the
group after last year’s World Cup in South Africa. The
tournament attracted criticism as not matching the level of
performances seen in top European leagues and competitions such
as the Champions League.

The plan for a fourth substitution, in contrast to the
current maximum of three, would be particularly aimed at youth
competitions.

There was also “general agreement” on the need to
professionalize refereeing, FIFA said.

The task force suggested that for FIFA Under-17
competitions and below, there should be no extra time if the
score is tied in regulation time. Instead the teams would go
straight to a penalty shootout.

Beckenbauer Ill

The task force was slated to include 22 members, made up of
former players and administrators. World Cup-winning captain and
coach Franz Beckenbauer, the man heading the body, didn’t show
up for its first meeting in Zurich today.

Brazil’s Pele and England’s Bobby Charlton, two other
leading figures in the sport, also didn’t appear. Germany’s
Beckenbauer was unwell, governing body FIFA said. It wasn’t able
to say why three-time World Cup winner Pele and 1966 champion
Charlton were absent.

Beckenbauer will report on the proposals at the 61st FIFA
Congress in Zurich on June 1. On the same day, soccer’s 208
nations will vote whether to retain Blatter or select his rival
Mohamed Bin Hammam.